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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26358748">bring me that horizon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bs13/pseuds/bs13'>bs13</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supergirl (TV 2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>18th century declarations of love, F/F, a very very loose POTC au, general misuse of semicolons, the are v gay and dramatic (as they should be)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:46:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,249</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26358748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bs13/pseuds/bs13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>As a young girl, Lena Luthor witnessed Kara Zor-El being rescued from a shipwreck at sea; now, ten years later, she has to reckon with Kara's shocking past coming to light...and perhaps even the feelings for her friend that she cannot hide any longer.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>344</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Supercorp Content Creators End of Summer Gift Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>bring me that horizon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/drfitzmonster/gifts">drfitzmonster</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>the prompt for this exchange was supercorp ~through the eras~ and after a botched shakespeare in love au i said fuck it, im going to do pirates! then when i tried adapting Pirates of the Caribbean by taking all the historical aspects (not the whole immortal skeleton plot, sadly) ....i kind of was too ambitious &amp; had to settle for a mere glimpse into kara and lena’s life (without the proper worldbuilding or even much focus on pirates because i am so out of practice with writing 😔).</p><p>but anyway this is a gift for the awesome &amp; insanely talented <a href="https://drfitzmonster.tumblr.com/">natalie</a> - 💖💖💖 you cannot imagine how daunting it was to write for you omg, you’re the au master 💯 ,,, but i hope u enjoyed this silly little fic !!</p><p>(psa: while i may have attempted to write in past tense + use some terminology from 18th century writing, the literary style of this fic is Not historically accurate lmao)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <b>1720; <i>Caribbean Sea</i></b>
</h1><p><i>The sea is so beautiful, but sad. Why,</i> said she, <i>why is that so?</i></p><p><i>Now, Lena</i>, her mother would reply as she brushed loose hair behind her daughter’s ears. <i>The sea breathes life; life you cannot imagine. I will tell you a secret—’tis not an easy burden to bear life.</i></p><p>Lena closed her eyes and felt the cold touch of her mother’s hands against her cheeks, felt the sensation wash from top to toe. <i>I rather like the sea</i>, she would whisper, as if she had a secret of her own.</p><p>But when she opened her eyes she was met with the expanse of the ocean; the call of seagulls; the churning icy waves that slapped against the ship’s hull. Lena said a silent farewell to her mother, then gazed out at the sea that had taken everything she had ever loved away from her.</p><p>Tears hazed her view, for she had cried all the while imagining her mother beside her again. Inconvenience, however, did not hinder Lena’s sharp mind, and she was frightened to notice the outline of a faint, farway figure. A trail of wreckage which must have been a ship at one point in time was engulfed in flames; an unfortunate sight, and an unfamiliar one. As she observed the wreck with wide, curious eyes, she noticed a stranger bobbing dangerously close to their ship.</p><p>She tore off unthinkingly towards the bow of the boat. “Help!” Lena shouted. All she could envision was her mother, head above water one moment and vanished the next. “There is a boy in the water!”</p><p>The helmsman paid her no mind. He cast a dubious glance towards the choppy waters once, but kept a stony silence otherwise.</p><p>Lena ran to him anyway. Her bare feet thudded across the deck with each step, and when she reached the helmsman she tugged sharply at his sleeve. “Sir,” said she breathlessly, “we must help.” And she stood there naïve and helpless, sea breeze stricken hair tangled in her mouth, while the helmsman deliberately ignored her plea.</p><p>A harsh hand clamped Lena’s shoulder before she could renew her urgings. “Fie, Lena,” hissed a cruel voice. “How dare you bother the crew? Need I remind you that a child must never be seen or heard?” Lillian Luthor pulled Lena from the helmsman’s side and asked forgiveness of the man in equal breath.</p><p>Lena swallowed. It felt as though a stone had lodged itself in her throat, and she quietly said, “I am sorry, sir,” as she received a sharp pinch to her wrist nonetheless.</p><p>“Good Heaven,” Lillian muttered, “you are an improper child. <i>I</i> am sorry to have such a charge under my care.”</p><p>A steady patter of footsteps gave Lillian pause. The young Lex Luthor, dignified and standing tall at all of fifteen years of age, approached his mother with a most sincere heart. “Does Lena speak the truth? Is there a boy in the water?”</p><p>“If there was a boy in the water he would be dead,” Lillian said. Her harsh words made Lena out as a fool, and Lena squirmed under their shared mother’s hand and tried not to be a nuisance any longer.</p><p>But to her surprise, those steely blue-gray eyes of her new brother only softened. “A boy, eh?” he grinned. “Helmsman! I do believe we have a rescue on our hands!”</p><p>This was the first time Lena had ever been witness to power—<i>true</i> power—as the helmsman obeyed Lex’s command without pause. Lex was young and inexperienced, yet assuredly in <i>charge</i>, and Lena was awed by his presence.</p><p>After all, they indeed hoisted a lifeless body from the water. Only then did Lena realize the boy was no boy at all; it was a young girl, curiously dressed in men’s clothing a tad too large for her size. But she was <i>alive</i>, and her shallow breathing proved it. Lex winked at Lena and declared her to be in charge of nursing this stranger back to health, and so Lena waited at the girl’s bedside as the crew journeyed out towards the shipwreck.</p><p>The strange girl’s fingers were stiff, perhaps numb from hanging on to the remnants of her shipwreck, and Lena attempted to rub feeling back into her hands. Outside of the cabin she could hear voices arguing over what to do; they could not find any other survivors, and hadn’t the slightest clue what to do with the strange girl in Lena’s bed.</p><p>“By God’s blessing, you are alive,” Lena confided to the stranger as she combed out the tangles of wet blond hair on the pillow. Her mother—her <i>real</i> mother—had said this saying often, and it felt appropriate now. When she reached to untuck the tails of the girl’s wet shirt, a rather odd trinket spilled into her palm. It looked like <i>gold</i>, a thing Lena had heard whispers of and never properly seen.</p><p>But there was an insignia burned into the rough coin, and as she traced it with her fingertips, Lena realized she had seen it before. It was the mark of a <i>pirate</i>. She knew very little about pirates, only that Lillian and Lex had talked a great deal about what to do if they ever encountered a rogue pirate ship; their consensus had not been positive in the slightest. By all accounts, pirates were supposed to be violent, lawless ruffians.</p><p>Just as Lena began to ruminate about what this meant, the girl on her bed twisted to her side. Lena quickly hid the trinket into the folds of her dress, then waited with bated breath as her guest awakened.</p><p>The first thing Lena noticed was the stranger’s eyes, a bright blue despite the swelled red-veined edges that the saltwater had burned into them. As soon as she realized she was being watched, the stranger visibly tensed. “W-who are you?” she coughed roughly.</p><p>“You needn’t be afraid of me,” Lena said, and her voice came out quiet. “My name is Lena; who are you?”</p><p>“I am Kara…Kara Zor-El,” the girl replied, albeit hesitantly. She struggled to sit up, arms wrapped tightly around her shivering body. Kara gazed up at the ceiling in awe, perhaps unaccustomed to the regality of a proper naval vessel; Lena had been the same way. “Where am I?” she asked in a daze.</p><p>“On board <i>The Dauntless</i>,” Lena said. “We found you floating in the sea.”</p><p>“Alone?” It was as if every vessel of blood had drained from Kara’s body. Her pale face framed a tight, troubled frown when she prompted, “There was…no child?”</p><p>“Are you not a child?” Lena asked slowly.</p><p>If Kara were made of glass, she would have shattered. She pressed a broken sob into her arm, shied away from Lena’s eyes, and Lena tentatively reached out to touch her shoulder. </p><p>“You’ll be safe here, Kara,” Lena said, rolled the unfamiliar name on her tongue, “I assure you.”</p><p>There was no response beyond choked, quiet weeping, and Lena gently drew her hand away. She turned away to allow Kara privacy to mourn alone, then peered out through the window to watch as the rowboat returned empty-handed.</p><p><i>Perhaps she and Kara have both buried someone in the sea today</i>, Lena thought, and Kara wept until sleep overtook her once more. Lena watched over her for the entirety of the trip—watched as Kara became stronger, watched as she tentatively began to trust Lena bit by bit.</p><p>Kara seemed rather unlike a pirate. Lena decided she had better not inform her of her suspected past; if anyone were to find out, they would undoubtedly take her away. </p><p> </p><p>.<br/>
.</p><p>.</p>
<h1>
  <b>TEN YEARS LATER</b>
</h1><p><br/>
<b></b>
</p>
<h1>
  <b>1730; <i>Port Royal, Jamaica</i></b>
</h1><p>“Hold still a little longer, madam.”</p><p>Lena sucked in a deeper breath as Jess tightened the laces of her corset into an inhumane shape over her hips. Only when Jess hummed in satisfaction did Lena relax, albeit marginally, because as it stood she could not <i>move</i> very much.</p><p>“Thank you, Jess,” Lena exhaled. “I am…much obliged.” She smoothed her palms over her dress and asked, “And my mother insists I wear this?”</p><p>“Yes, madam. My mistress bid me bring this exact one.” Jess offered a pitying look despite her words, and Lena attempted a cheerfulness of temper if only for Jess’s sake.</p><p>“Am I free to go then, or am I under your charge for the evening?”</p><p>“I am to escort you to your father’s study,” Jess said dutifully. “He has sent for you.”</p><p>“How kind—he remembers he has a daughter,” Lena replied unthinkingly, more bitter than she ought to be; she forgot that Jess was loyal to the Luthor family, and therefore was not a willing ear for trivial issues like hers.</p><p>But Jess merely smiled sorrowfully, every bit as young as Lena yet immeasurably wiser. “He loves you very much, madam,” said she. “And he brings a guest; your Ms. Zor-El.”</p><p>“Has he?” A light touch of joy fluttered against her chest. Lena had rarely seen her oldest friend since Kara became her father’s favourite blacksmith. “Then we shan’t keep him waiting.”</p><p>“As you wish, madam,” Jess said, and they set off towards Lionel Luthor’s study arm-in-arm. “Mr. Luthor, your daughter to see you,” she called once they arrived.</p><p>The doors swung open, and Lena stepped forward. Guards were stationed by every window—a normal sight—but Lena was enraptured solely by her father’s wide grin.</p><p>“Lena!” Lionel stood to greet her, skin raw and red from his month’s long journey. “You are a lighthouse for this sailor’s tired eyes.”</p><p>“Father,” Lena said gratefully, and she embraced him tightly. “Has Lex returned as well? I had hoped to see him.”</p><p>“He has already gone to oversee the festivities,” Lionel assured her warmly. “Kara will accompany you out to meet him. I have but a few more tasks to finish before I might join you two.”</p><p>Only then did Lena allow herself to gaze at Kara, unconsciously sliding her palms over the sides of her dress. Kara was the most welcome sight in the room—in <i>any</i> room—and she smiled bashfully, her tanned skin flushed pink.</p><p>Kara nodded at Lena in polite manner, but fiddled with the sword at her side nervously. “You are too kind, Mr. Luthor,” she said, then softer to Lena, “Ms. Luthor. Pray forgive me; I dare not impose.”</p><p>“What nonsense,” said Lionel. “You are a valued asset to the militia, and my guest. Surely you will stay for the festivities. I know my daughter will not allow otherwise.”</p><p>“My father is right,” Lena teased, and her heartbeat quickened as Kara’s eyes fell on her again. She quite liked the way Kara straightened her posture, strong jaw tilting sideways as she made an effort to avoid eye contact. “Help me find my brother?”</p><p>Lena was not above batting her eyelashes a little until Kara acquiesced and held out her arm. Lena was a bit naïve when it came to the matters of the heart; however, she did particularly enjoy the bashfulness of Kara Zor-El around her. It gave her hope that her foolish crush might be reciprocated, even a little, though she was sure her mother would not be very pleased at the notion.</p><p>Kara was silent for their walk up towards the deck for quite a moment. Then, suddenly, she seemed to find her voice. “You look lovely, Ms. Luthor,” she said. The way she spoke was so endearing, a bit rushed and low, and it caused Lena’s heartbeat to race once more.</p><p>“Thank you, Kara,” said Lena, and she knew her own skin was alit with a blush as well. “You look very dashing yourself.”</p><p>Truthfully, Kara looked the same as any other day she came to their estate for business, with hair tied back and glasses a bit crooked, tucked white shirt and simple brown breeches, blackened boots that have seen better days. To Lena, however, Kara was always quite handsome; very much so.</p><p>The compliment prompted a crooked half-smile on Kara’s part. “You needn’t lie to me, Ms. Luthor,” she said. “I have come from the shop; I have no suitable clothes.”</p><p>Lena pressed closer to her friend, and felt the need to reply that she liked Kara’s blacksmith clothes. “We have known each other a long time, Kara,” she said, to deflect the flirtatious words on her tongue. “How many times must I bid you to call me Lena?”</p><p>“At least once more, Ms. Luthor,” Kara said earnestly, and her smile grew softer in its affection; Lena could not resist a smile in return.</p><p>They found Lex soon afterwards; he stood beside Lillian, both overtly formal and rigid. When Lex spotted his sister, however, he immediately broke into a smile.</p><p>Kara gently released Lena’s arm. “Enjoy the festivities, Ms. Luthor,” she said. “Till tomorrow—I shall count the hours.”</p><p>Lena froze at the prospect of being left here alone. “Won’t you stay?” she pleaded lightly. “Don’t leave me; I beseech you.”</p><p>Whatever answer might have come in the ensuing silence was broken. Lex called out for Lena jovially, and broke away from his mother to approach.</p><p>“Are you glad for me, sister?” Lex asked, and embraced Lena tightly, just as he always had.</p><p>“I am,” Lena replied, and she forgave his proud heart because she truly <i>was</i> glad for him. “You have been promoted to <i>commodore</i>. What an honour.”</p><p>“The title was always mine,” Lex bragged, and he released his sister after one final squeeze of her shoulders. His gaze fell upon Kara next, and his wide smile twisted into a smirk. “Ah, Ms. Zor-El! Have you come to congratulate me as well?”</p><p>“Yes, sir,” Kara said, but peculiarly, her eyes seemed to have hardened. “Congratulations.”</p><p>“I thank you kindly; you are a credit to your profession,” Lex chuckled. “Now you are welcome to retire. I imagine you will have an influx of sword orders now that I am in charge.”</p><p>“I imagine so,” Kara echoed, and she nodded her head respectfully though her words were cool. “Good morrow, Mr. Luthor.” She turned towards Lena next, hard set of her jaw faltering, and then merely nodded at her as well without another word as she took her leave.</p><p>Lena resisted the urge to watch Kara walk away, disappointment tightened in her chest; she was so dismayed she wistfully imagined that Kara whispered <i>Lena</i> as she went.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>The corset, as Lena had suspected, must have been a man-made torure device.</p><p>The tightness of the garment made Lena flush with fever, forehead beaded with sweat that she tried in vain to fan away. No-one was aware of her peril; Jess was not allowed at the festivities, and Lex was kept occupied by his gaggle of smartly-dressed militia men.</p><p>Jack Spheer was the only person keeping Lena company. He was a nice man, handsome and compelling enough, but as he droned on about his newfound promotion as the head of a large ship-making company, Lena began to feel quite faint.</p><p>“We have known each other since we were children, haven’t we Lena?” Jack’s voice swam in her ears, but Lena still noted the nostalgic edge to it that would be hard to miss. “I suppose I am at fault for our distance; I might have written you, if I had the chance.”</p><p>Lena tried to nod along whilst she fanned her face. Jack, it seemed, was too consumed by his words to fully realize how she struggled. She leaned against a pillar and gazed down at the sea below, fruitlessly wishing the sea breeze would reach her.</p><p>The reason Jack was so preoccupied with his story was finally revealed as he breathed out, quite nervously, “I shan’t make the same mistake, Lena. If you would do me the honour, I wish for you to marry me.”</p><p>For a moment Lena blinked, foolishly caught off guard. She opened her mouth in a bid to reply—she was quite sure she did—but then her vision blurred, and an onset of darkness caught her quite unexpectedly.</p><p>She hadn’t realized that she fainted until she was sucking in gulps of seawater. She attempted helplessly to breathe; there was a raw ache around her ribs from the corset, and a tightness in her chest from the lack of air in her lungs. Her dress grew heavy with water and dragged her down, down, down and she knew that this was it—this was how she died.</p><p>But then a body bumped against hers, and the heaviness of her dress vanished. She emerged from the ocean half-dragged from it, and landed on the floor. Lena coughed water from her lungs, felt stiff with her hurt, and then a hand touched her shoulder.</p><p>“By God’s grace, she is alive,” murmured a voice, and Lena opened her eyes to see many faces crowded above her.</p><p>The woman who saved her was a scowling, tall sailor with choppy hair. She was dressed simply, in a white billowy shirt slick with water…and a medallion hanging around her neck.</p><p>Lena fished her own medallion from around her neck; it was identical to Kara’s. “Are you a pirate?” she gaped, and the woman gave her a skeptical glare.</p><p>“I believe thanks are in order, for saving your life,” said the pirate. But she eyed the medallion around Lena’s neck, and her expression gave away her curiosity. “Who are you?”</p><p>Lex had always cautioned never to reveal her true name, lest she become a target for ransom. And so Lena gave another: a name she had, perhaps, always wanted.</p><p>“My name is Lena Zor-El,” said Lena, and the boat gave an unpleasant lurch.</p><p>“Zor-El?” One of the other pirates jumped to her feet. “Kal! Kal, come out here!”</p><p>“Nia,” hissed Lena’s saviour. “He is still but a boy, and this woman—”</p><p>“Alex.” Another woman stepped forward, and at her touch, Lena’s saviour—Alex—lost all tension in her body. She turned to Lena afterwards, and her eyes shone with hope. “Allow me to answer your questions, Ms. Zor-El. My name is Kelly, and this is my wife Alex. We have been searching for you.”</p><p>“For me?” Lena took a step backwards unconsciously; her body ached with the step, and she took another.</p><p>An array of shouts disrupted the scene all at once. Lex and his men had spotted the pirate ship in their waters, and it seemed they presumed its crew had taken Lena hostage.</p><p>“Gunners, to your posts!” Alex shouted. “James, set a course out of here—we have what we came for.”</p><p>“I suppose you mean <i>me</i>,” said Lena incredulously, but she was paid no mind. The boat lurched unpleasantly once more, and a mast jumped past Lena’s head as the ship set sail.</p><p>Nia, who must have been one of the boatswains, approached Lena with a large quilt. “Allow me to implore your forgiveness, madam,” she said. “We have quite a journey ahead.”</p><p>“A journey?” Lena wrapped the quilt around herself gratefully, but her stomach sunk all the same. “You pirates have made a grave error. I am not a hostage you can take; my brother is a master on these seas, and he <i>will</i> find me.”</p><p>“Captain!” a sudden cry came from overhead. A young man waved his arms frantically from the crow’s nest. “Unknown boat headed our way.”</p><p>Alex strode towards the deck, pensively frowning at the rowboat rapidly approaching. “How odd,” she remarked, and then said quite suddenly, “Zor-El, you must understand that we left quite hastily. But we could not allow the British navy the opportunity to lay us in pieces; we had to speak to you alone.”</p><p>“Is that so,” Lena said, and she furrowed her brow confusedly. “Am I not a hostage, then?”</p><p>“Nay; you are a guest,” Alex replied. “Please inform our pursuer that we mean you no harm.” She looked beyond Lena, and her expression grew gentle. “There is someone who has been waiting to meet you for a long time.”</p><p>Lena turned, and was met with a shy smile from a young boy half-hidden behind Kelly. He was dressed in pirate’s clothes as well, and his face was smeared with dirt. </p><p>“This is Kal-El,” Kelly said. “Alex’s father rescued him as a babe, from the same wreckage you were rescued.”</p><p>“On his deathbed he told of us of his strife,” Alex confided. “He bore a great agony; he saved Kal-El, but saw a British ship save you from afar and could not reunite Kal with his blood.”</p><p>Lena felt her heart sick with surprise, and slowly sank to the floor. “Tis I that should plead forgiveness,” she said, “for I have misled you. I am not the Zor-El from any shipwreck, nor am I this boy’s family.”</p><p>A stunned silence encompassed the ship, and Kal-El’s dirty face fell in dismay.</p><p>“Is your name not Lena Zor-El?” Alex asked harshly.</p><p>“No; no, it is not. I am Lena Luthor, daughter of the governor. But I know who you search for—her name is Kara Zor-El, and she is a friend of mine.”</p><p>“Is she your wife?” Kelly asked kindly.</p><p>Lena grew hot with her shame; o, what a fool she must have seemed! “No,” said she. “Please—might we return to port? Allow me to right the wrongs of my actions.”</p><p>Before anyone might agree or object, a furious shout rang out. “Let her go, pirates!” cried a determined voice. Kara Zor-El leapt onto the deck, sword brandished against Alex’s throat.</p><p>“Kara!” A lovely, unbidden warmth left Lena’s heart aflutter.</p><p>“Ms. Luthor,” said Kara, awed and relieved. “Are you quite alright?”</p><p>No attempt at easing her mind could be made; in an instant, Alex had unsheathed her own sword and parried Kara’s attack. They fell into a rough battle, both evenly matched; Kara was quite the swordsman, and it was a thrill to watch how powerfully she fought…all to rescue Lena. Lena was so overcome with gratitude she nearly forgot to protest.</p><p>“Kara!” Lena said. “Lay down your sword. I am in no danger; neither are you.”</p><p>Immediately, Kara backed away. She did, however, keep her sword at the ready. “But, Ms. Luthor,” she said. “These are pirates. Surely they have been untowards, and ghastly?”</p><p>“You were the one who raised your sword first,” Alex warned. “We do not take kindly to threats.” She sheathed her sword, shook her head to herself. “Bloody hypocrisy,” she muttered, then promptly took her place beside her wife.</p><p>Kara approached Lena tentatively, with a reined-in rapture, as though afraid to reach her. “Are you positively safe, Ms. Luthor?” she asked, and rested a hand atop Lena’s arm.</p><p>Lena, still quite tender, gasped at the touch; Kara quickly withdrew.</p><p>“Forgive me, my lady,” Kara said. “Blacksmith’s hands…I know they are rough.”</p><p>“O, Kara,” Lena said, and she wept suddenly, because she could not help it. “You came for <i>me</i>?”</p><p>“I saw you taken,” said Kara, “and I feared the worst. I could not wait for your brother to organize a search, I—” She paused to laugh wetly, and her gaze grew somber. “I suppose I owe these pirates my life on account of yours.”</p><p>Lena swallowed tightly. “I must plead guilty to my own indiscretions, Kara,” she said. “I have wronged you; o, have I wronged you!” At once she removed the medallion from her neck, and pressed it into Kara’s firm hands.</p><p>“Is this—?” Kara raised the trinket slowly, eyes grown wide with apprehension. She looked at Lena confoundedly, her gaze so free indeed as usual. “I thought this token lost.”</p><p>Kal-El swayed closer, still hanging from Kelly’s legs, and Kelly nudged him forward.</p><p>“You are Kara Zor-El, I presume?” Kelly said. “May I borrow your ear? My young charge and I have quite a tale to tell.”</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>.</p><p>Night fell, and Lena was alone.</p><p>The deck was emptied of crew; they had stopped at a tavern for the night, and promised to sail back to Port Royal in the morning. Lena had not minded the excursion—it had been so long since she was last at sea, and she found the experience exciting. The salt of the sea; the fresh breeze of the air; the friendly shouts among the crew; Lena had never beheld such a night.</p><p>“Beautiful, is she not?” asked a voice from the darkness. Kara emerged from below deck; Lena startled, because she assumed Kara had retired for the night.</p><p>“Yes, quite,” Lena said. They spoke of the sea, but Lena was aware that Kara’s gaze never strayed from her face.</p><p>Kara joined Lena in her loneliness, and kept silent for a moment. “Ms. Luthor,” she said at last, “you needn’t ask my forgiveness. You saved me when I was a child—I cannot begrudge that you hid my true nature.”</p><p>“Are you not afraid,” Lena asked softly, “that you are a pirate?”</p><p>“I am; but I am not,” Kara laughed, and it was a disbelieving laugh, as though she could scarcely believe her own words. “I thought my cousin drowned at sea, and now I have found him, alive and well! Captain Danvers has been searching for me since her father passed—she has word that my mother is alive, and my people bid me come home.”</p><p>“Your mother?” Lena is reminded at once of her own; her <i>real</i> mother.</p><p>“I expect nothing,” Kara said sorrowfully, “but I do wish to be with my poor mother. She found Kal-El years ago, and informed him of his lineage and birth. Now I must join Captain Danvers and her crew, so we might be reunited.”</p><p>Lena felt as if she was going to become ill; her heart thumped alarmingly quick, but out of terror. “You will leave Port Royal, then?” <i>And me?</i> she would have asked, if she were braver.</p><p>“I must, yes,” said Kara. “I will be sad to go. Your father has been kind to me, and you…have been an honest friend.”</p><p>“Just an honest friend?” Lena could not resist smiling.</p><p>“No; you have been a <i>good</i> friend,” Kara corrected. “A best friend.”</p><p>Something in the way Kara spoke, something in the way she smiled in all her sweet innocence, made Lena sad. It felt as though they had been here before; perhaps not on this deck, but in another lifetime. Lena wished that in another lifetime she might have the chance to <i>confess</i> how she truly felt, instead of hiding it behind friendship and the like.</p><p>“I will be sorry to see you go,” Lena admitted. “How will I fare without you near? I have no-one to talk to, and no friends besides you. I already mourn you and you have not left.”</p><p>Kara went silent. This moment stretched longer—a pensive, prolonged silence that only furthered the overflowings of Lena’s heart. “Bid me not go,” said she, “and I will not.” As Lena’s mouth fell open in unbridled shock, Kara pressed on: “Or give me leave, and I will join my family briefly, but return to you hereafter.”</p><p>“No, madam,” Lena said, once she found her voice again. “I will not ask such extremities of you.”</p><p>“Do you doubt me, Ms. Luthor?” Kara asked. She dropped to her knee, gaze held with complete and utter reverence. “Bestow upon me your wishes, and I will fulfill them.”</p><p>“No; no I do not doubt you,” stammered Lena in bewilderment. “O, Kara, you are—you are all goodness. How shall I bear to tear you away from your family twice? I cannot bid you to indulge my wishes; never shall I even confide them, lest you think less of me.”</p><p>“I could never think less of you, Ms. Luthor,” and Kara rose, taking Lena’s hands in her own. “Allow me to soothe your anxieties, and confess my wishes to you. Banish from your mind your hesitations; I am yours, and I pledge to be yours, in any way you will have me.”</p><p>Lena slipped one hand free from Kara’s grasp, so that she might trace the edge of Kara’s handsome jaw which she has admired so greatly. “If you are mine, Kara Zor-El,” she breathed, “I must insist…that you call me Lena.”</p><p>“Lena,” Kara said immediately after. “<i>Lena</i>—” And she pulled Lena close, and kissed her with sweet eagerness, and Lena surrendered to the tender touch of that soft mouth. </p><p>They reveled in each other; Lena felt entirely safe in Kara’s strong arms. Kara could not tear her gaze from Lena, not for a second, and she kissed her six times without stopping. She murmured Lena’s name so tenderly that Lena felt as though she might weep unexpectedly again.</p><p>“You must go find your family,” Lena whispered. “I cannot implore you to stay. It will spare you my words, and ask only your forgiveness again.”</p><p>Kara drew back slightly, and her fearfulness was a soothing sight. “I shan’t part with you,” she said. “Not now; don’t ask that of me.”</p><p>“No.” Lena cupped that wondrous face, that one she never imagined might be hers. “No; I will not. I must profess my love to you—for I love you dearly—and I will not be parted from you either.”</p><p>Kara trembled, and kissed Lena again, with a fervent vehemence. “I love you,” said she, “Lena. I know I am not a lady of high quality, nor may I offer the riches and grandeur you deserve—”</p><p>“I care not for richness, my love,” Lena sighed, and she rested her forehead against that of Kara’s, and was at peace. “If you are destined for a pirate’s life, then I will live a pirate’s life. Any condition that could befall me I prefer to a lifetime without you.”</p><p>“What a pair we make,” Kara said, and she smiled as her fingertips danced along Lena’s side, “a pirate and a noblewoman. Your brother will kill me; I will be the scourge of the Luthor family.”</p><p>“Can you live with danger?” Lena asked. “Will you not regret this choice?”</p><p>“No; not even if I descended to the grave with it,” said Kara. “With the grace of God supporting me, I will return to you. Danger be damned!”</p><p>“O, Kara,” and Lena felt her heart thrum, so excited it might have burst from her chest. “Make no mistake. As God shall bless me, I will accompany you every step of the way. Your journey is my own; your life is mine, and mine forever yours.”</p><p>“But,” Kara frowned, “your family—”</p><p>“Is now yours, and yours shall be mine,” Lena said. “My family will stay in Port Royal; you will not. Will you deny me your company? Now, when we love each other?”</p><p>And Kara gazed at her freely, beautifully, and smiled with the virtue and honour she had always held within. “No,” she said. “Never.”</p><p>It felt too familiar, the rapid beating of her heart, and Lena pressed tighter against her love as the everlastingly profound warmth enveloped her from top to toe. She had no idea she could possess such an overflow of positive feeling, nor could she imagine ever living again without it. And Kara; unyielding, wonderful Kara; held her as close as she possibly could, breathing evenly against the crown of her head. This was a beginning, and furthermore, a fortunate beginning she could not have foreseen.</p><p>The horizon began to approach, and Lena supposed it was quite lucky—she might have buried her life at sea once, but now she was welcoming a new one.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading! 🏴☠️</p></blockquote></div></div>
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